1. Visualize. I will practice T day as well as the entire weekend (surrounded by all overweight family members except my dad and hubby) several times in my head before I go. This really helps! I walk through my entire day in my head, making good choices and deciding what I will eat.

2. Know what's on the menu and plan ahead of time what I will eat - then DO NOT STRAY. There will always be Thanksgiving food, pumpkin pie, etc. This is not the last time I will see this stuff. But this year, I have to make choices for my health.

3. Leave nothing to chance. Get out of the house after eating. Sit far away from the bread. Have my hubby make a plate for me (he's more strict than me! ). Don't place myself in temptation's path. Eat on plan 100% every other meal - no cinnamon rolls for breakfast, mashed potatoes for dinner, pie for snacks. 1 meal tends to turn into an entire weekend of gluttony and over-indulgence.

4. If you can, do something completely non-traditional and non-food related. One year, we spent the entire day at the beach and then came home and just threw some chicken on the grill. The focus was family, not food (not so other years, which is why I'm here! LOL!). I'm sure my dad, hubby and I will do a major bike ride or hike that day as well.

5. Plan some foods that you can eat that won't break the bank. I'm making a low-fat pumpkin custard so that I can have 1 serving of that instead of pumpkin pie (with the loads of fat, sugar and salt in the crust). Steamed veggies, turkey breast (regular turkeys sold in stores are loaded with injected salt - try to look for one that's not), etc.

6. Sit back and think of the real reasons we are celebrating - we are on the path to better health, we are surrounded by those we love, and we are not slaves to food.

Mix crust ingredients in blender until consistency of bread crumbs. Press into pie pan. Chill while making cheesecake. Mix gelatin with hot water in blender on high. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into crust, chill before serving.

Not "on plan", but something everyone at table can enjoy. 180 calories per serving with caramel, 94 calories without! Not that I'm encouraging you to go off plan, but if it's a choice of full fledged pumpkin pie or nothing, I say go with this recipe.Pumpkin Flan
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup water

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Stir 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil until mixture turns amber-colored, brushing any crystals that form on sides of pan with wet brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 7 minutes. Immediately divide caramel among six 1/2-cup soufflè dishes to cover bottoms and sides with caramel. Cool.

Whisk pumpkin, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in milk. Divide mixture among soufflè dishes. Place dishes in large baking pan. Add enough water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Bake until flan is set, about 55 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Run small sharp knife around edges of dishes to loosen. Turn flans out onto plates and serve.

Ok, I know that not everyone can do this---I visit my family. My children far away and I spend the holiday with them. Yes, there is one big meal but that's just what it is--one big meal, and actually I don't really eat as much as the others but I do want to participate with the group and have a small taste here and there. But, I know that not everyone can do that.

When my children lived here, we would eat and then go to the beach. Food was not the entire focus of the day and we do have fond memories of walking on the beach.

Something else that might be useful is to eat out for Thanksgiving. Once again, it's just one larger meal. I had a problem with leftovers when I cooked for a group.

thinknthin my plan is basically like yours.. it's one meal so my dh and I plan on going off for thanksgiving meal. I already discussed it with my center and they said most just try to maintain that week so it's fine by them, we have to live realistically though the holidays so it's nice to know they are supporting us Plus it gives me something to look forward to after being 100% op.. we plan on taking thanksgiving and xmas day off so one meal a month certainly can't set us back too much

I will not worry about On Plan eating on Thanksgiving. I didn't last year in the middle of a definite decline in my weight between AUG to DEC, and I won't this year either. It is just one day that I will CHOOSE to enjoy, then back to being careful and thoughtful until Christmas! It is MY CHOICE, so therefore is to be implemented into my plan -- I AM IN CONTROL as I make this choice.

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Am back for Round 2, beginning 3/7.Not until you push yourself to the limit and then past that, will you begin to realize "exactly what" you are capable of handling physically & mentally. Yes it's scary, hard, & exhausting. But, when you challenge yourself & strive to work harder than you ever have at the beginning of each day, when you finally stop to ....rest, you'll be more positive than anxious about your future!

Same here. I plan to take at least the one meal "off". I don't have too much trouble getting right back on plan if I'm in control of the choice to go off. I talked to my center counselor about being worried about holidays. Her response was since many people gain 5 + pounds if you just maintain during that period you're still doing well.

Now given that my losing weeks are up mid January if I haven't hit goal by then due to holiday stalls I may regret that but it is what it is. I'm weighing in today and will ask about that.

If you're worried about it, take a paper plate and draw a picture on it of exactly what you're going to eat, and then stick to that.

Seriously, it's only ONE meal. I find if I deprive myself of the special things, then I binge later. I will eat small helpings of whatever I want and make sure nothing (except turkey) is left at my house afterwards, then back to my journey.

T Day is not that bad...we drive up to the grandparents and then head home. Last year we got up earlier than we normally would and went for a walk on that cool, brisk morning. It started our day great (my dh and I). It's the rest of that week that I worry about. My in-laws try to spoil us by stuffing us. My father in law made 5 lbs of chicken for 4 people the last time we were home, lol. I am taking lots of HNS, some shakes and bars and my own veggies. I will likely eat whatever meat they make and substitute sides. We will survive it - right!? I've come to far to have one day or a few days wreck my progress. Besides, I need to be at goal by my birthday (Dec) so I can enjoy that!!

PS - the bloating alone is not worth it...one meal and days of bloating...ugh.

I've been with MRC for about a month now, and it seems every day it gets easier to avoid foods I used to crave. We had a Thanksgiving luncheon at work the other day, so I ate beforehand and sat with my coworkers during the meal. I was sitting right next to the pumpkin pie and chocolate cake, I even cut them both, and was never tempted to touch either one. For me I've already decided that I'm not straying, so I'm not disappointed when I can't have something. Then again I also find that anything off plan takes a long time to recover from.

I see a lot of people are saying they are taking the day off, but for me that makes it harder. Once I eat that stuff, I will want more and more. If I stay away completely, I'll be better off. I'll be keeping myself busy and enjoying OP recipes. Good luck everyone!!

I've been with MRC for about a month now, and it seems every day it gets easier to avoid foods I used to crave. We had a Thanksgiving luncheon at work the other day, so I ate beforehand and sat with my coworkers during the meal. I was sitting right next to the pumpkin pie and chocolate cake, I even cut them both, and was never tempted to touch either one. For me I've already decided that I'm not straying, so I'm not disappointed when I can't have something. Then again I also find that anything off plan takes a long time to recover from.

I see a lot of people are saying they are taking the day off, but for me that makes it harder. Once I eat that stuff, I will want more and more. If I stay away completely, I'll be better off. I'll be keeping myself busy and enjoying OP recipes. Good luck everyone!!

I'm thinking about rejoining, but I wanted to post in this thread. I lost almost 50 lbs with MRC 2 years ago and when I was at the center yesterday they went over some of my history with me. During Thanksgiving in 2008 I didn't gain. I actually was on a cruise and ate normal cruise food all week long and then came home and had a big T-Day dinner at home. Now, I might have waited a few days to weigh in (I didn't look at the dates in my chart), but I ate what I wanted and I was able to maintain (at least within a few days after I came back). I'm not advocating completely going off plan, but I LOVE Thanksgiving and I usually cook. This will actually be our first year home in 3 years (we took vacations the last 2 years) and I'm looking forward to a nice Thanksgiving meal here. Hopefully I can maintain again. I think moderation is the key. A "little" (few bites) of everything isn't horrible. As for the leftovers, though...I would give as much away as you can and only keep what is on plan!